Establishing Ethics (part 2)

Point: We need the grace of God to love Him and others. (remember the house illustration) As our core beliefs continue to line up with the Scriptures, so to will our convictions grow stronger and stronger concerning what is right. And then we will begin to see transformation in the everyday activities and behaviors of our lives. We see this occuring in the early church as they met together to discuss an essential foundational component of the gospel, (ie. being in a right relationship to God), out of that they begin to develop some core convictions of areas to abstain from. (like vs 29) and then we see them living it out by taking a letter to the Gentile church’s to encourage them.

Perspective: Ethical essentials are different from non-essentials. Another way of saying it is most of the time deciding between right and wrong is fairly easy and straightforward. Even if the bible is blatantly descriptive on a particular issue, there is usually always enough truth to still give a very direct answer to our ethical question. However, many of our decisions as Christians are not between good and bad, but good and best. Like choosing a college or changing jobs.

Warning: Guard against antinomianism, which is basically the idea that we can live without any boundaries or restraint. That we are so free that we can feed our flesh without any consequence. Guard against legalism. (Vs 10) Its very easy to drift into the assumption that we know right and wrong better than God. Establishing ethics is not putting God on trial and placing standards on followers of Jesus that God doesn't. To fall into either trap of legalism or licentiousness is to wrongly understand the purpose of God’s law.

Proper boundaries, or ethical standards are for our good and God’s glory.

Principles: Here are a couple points to keep in mind for actually doing what is right.

a. As those who belong to Christ we are free to love God in holiness. This really helps to clear up our motive for doing right. Why do I want to know what is right? If its just to prove someone else wrong , I think we should repent and find a different motivation.

b. We are free to love others. One great way to do that is not causing one another to stumble. Example: Eating meat sacrificed to idols. Paul addresses this again when he writes to the Corinthian church. See I Corinthians 8 *Read our Hillcrest membership commitment. An example of this I heard this week was watching movies.

Transition: Its always very easy to notice inconsistency while seeking to behave what we say we believe. Said another way, we are all very well acquainted with hypocrisy. Both in ourselves and in others. As a result we desperately need the grace of God in our in-consistences. We need the grace of God to love Him and one another.

Should also consider how impacts our witness and love for those outside of Christ as well. For example, we may absolutely, essentially, Biblically disagree with a person on any number of ethical issues.... but never can we treat them with disrespect and intolerance. We must not give into our fleshly desires to be right and break the commands of our Savior to do right. The right way to always treat people is to love them. That means being patient, showing kindness, not envying or boasting, not rude or arrogant, not irritable or resentful, but rejoicing in righteousness and truth.

Our greatest ethic as those who are genuinely converted by Christ is to love others in the manner in which Christ has loved us. Our greatest ethic is love!

Transition: One final reason establishing our ethics is such an important discussion for the church today is because it helps us to define a more Biblical identity. Many local churches are under a bit of an identity crisis in America because we have adopted or adapted a multitude of definitions (or ways to validate our identity). For example under the stigma of the church growth moment it was popular to categorize and professionalize all aspects of ministry. And so the church because an organization in which the CEO pastor was born. And you were defined as a healthy church if you had professional leadership serving in all the variety of ministries. So the right thing to do was hire a pastor of youth, and pastor of senior adults, a pastor of music, a pastor of counseling and so on. That’s not to say there isn't a Biblical ethic for organization, however, coming back to a more robust understanding of the Jesus ethic for His church to love helps us all to realize that we all have a part in the church. Said another way is that when we are identified in Christ we have a role in the ministry of His church. We do not have to have a title, or a position, or special gifts to do our part in Jesus’ church. We simply need to love. Our role and definition of being a disciple is Jesus is to love one another. So I challenge you this week to put your being into doing and intentionally and love someone.

Conclusion: Everyday of our lives are full of ethical decisions. Everything from what clothes to wear to how to treat the person across factory line. Even when we are not aware, we are constantly making choices of what is right. Hopefully, as those who belong to Christ and His church we are thinking deeper about those decisions. Hopefully the Scriptures have equipped us to be diligent and wise in determining, developing, and doing what is right. May we have the same attitude of the Psalmist in

Psalm 119:1-8

Psalm 119:1–8 ESV

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

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